There are a number of applications, such as magnetic surgical applications, where it necessary to apply strong magnetic forces (i.e., magnetic fields and/or gradients). With recent advances in permanent materials, permanent magnets can provide strong magnetic forces for many of these applications. However, the size of a conventional permanent magnetic that is needed to provide these strong magnetic forces limits their usefulness. The structures needed to support massive conventional magnets are expensive and cumbersome. Moreover because magnetic forces fall off rapidly (with the third power of the distance for magnetic fields and with the fourth power of the distance for magnetic gradients), the magnet must be very close to the point where the magnetic force is to be applied, making the rotations and translations of the magnet to change the direction of the applied magnetic force difficult. In the special case of magnetic surgery applications, the movement of the magnet is also limited by imaging and life support equipment in the procedure room.